Building a Better Life
A Good Lives and Self-Regulation Workbook
by Pamela M. Yates, Ph.D., R.D.Psych. & David Prescott, L.I.C.S.W.

As a holiday special, we are lowering the quantities needed to achieve bulk discount rates on our top selling workbooks. Now through December 24th, your commitment to the number of copies needed to get our bulk discount for this workbook will be lower by ten books. (See holiday bulk discount rate special above.)

Building a Better Life is a workbook designed to support adults in treatment for sexually abusive behaviors. The workbook offers a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to fostering personal growth and reducing recidivism. Rooted in the Good Lives and Self-Regulation Models, this workbook integrates core psychological principles with practical exercises to empower clients and guide therapists in creating meaningful, sustainable change (to learn more about the this treatment approach, please see Applying the Good Lives and Self-Regulation Models to Sex Offender Treatment: A Practical Guide for Clinicians by the authors of this workbook
and Tony Ward, the founder of the GLM.).

This workbook begins by exploring motivation for change, leveraging concepts from motivational interviewing to engage clients early in their journey. From there, it delves into identifying and pursuing common life goals, exercises to build self-regulation skills, assessing factors that might put the attainment of one’s goals at risk, and an exploration to align one’s goals with individualized treatment and good life plans.

Unique in its collaborative approach, Building a Better Life encourages clients and therapists to work together to set realistic, achievable, and motivating goals. Rather than focusing solely on avoidance strategies, these exercises promote the pursuit of positive objectives, which research has shown to be more effective at building a life free of harmful behaviors than does avoidance-oriented goals.

Autobiographical Exercises

A central feature of Building a Better Life is its emphasis on understanding and managing risk factors. Through structured autobiographical exercises, clients examine their past behaviors, offense progressions, and self-regulation strategies, helping them to better understand the relationship between their actions and their life goals. By fostering this self-awareness, the workbook supports clients in developing practical skills to manage risk and achieve personal aspirations that are healthy.

Concluding with the integration of risk management strategies and the application of good life plans in the community, Building a Better Life equips clients with the tools needed to lead fulfilling, accountable, and harm-free lives. Extended resources are also available online, ensuring accessibility and adaptability to meet diverse client needs.

Safer Society Press and the authors are also making available extended versions of a number of the exercises contained in the workbook. The extended versions provide additional space for those clients who may need more than is provided in the bound book. A link to download the files will be included in your order confirmation email.

Whether used in individual or group therapy settings, Building a Better Life provides a structured yet flexible framework for facilitating meaningful progress, making it an invaluable resource for treatment programs that aim to foster hope, accountability, and personal growth.

Download Foreword & Introduction

Further Information for Professionals – revised 2020